WORKSHOPS TO BE HOSTED IN THIS AREA:

MONDAY - OCTOBER 8, 2007

AUTHOR’S CHAT LOUNGE 3

10AM PACIFIC TIME (1PM EST) - RALEIGH PINSKEY

How to Keep Your Book Alive and Selling for a Long, Long, Long, Long Time. 

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AUTHOR’S CHAT LOUNGE 3

9PM EST - BARBARA M. HODGES 

Co-writing a Fiction Novel…is it for you?

  MODERATED BY KRISTIN JOHNSON

I have co-written four novels, with a single writing partner, as well as taken part in four anthologies.  This real-time chat will focus on my co-writing with a single author experiences. 

 We will discuss how the process began with in-depth conversations by telephone, email and face-to-face meetings.  Although one of my co-writers and I have never met or had a telephone conversation.  Shadow Worlds, written with Darrell Bain, was completed with emails.  These first in-depth conversations will help writers decide if co-writing is even something they should attempt.  One of the most important factors is being able to mesh two, or more voices, into one.

We will also discuss writing timelines. What is realistic to one author may not be for another.

There is also the choice of a publisher. If all authors have been previously published, whose publisher will you approach, or perhaps you will want to go with a new publisher entirely.

The chat will also touch on working with an author that strengthens your weak spots and vice-versa.

And we can’t forget about the royalties…. will it be a straight 50-50 split, or does one author have more to offer than the other?

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TUESDAY - OCTOBER 9, 2007

Authors Chat Lounge 3

12pm EST: JANE BERNARD

MODERATED BY DONNA AMATO

Fine tuning your 5 senses gives you the power to excite, entice and entertain with your writing.

Writing is about connecting to passion and we access our passion through what we sense. 

This workshop is intended to be fun, educational and inspiring.

Objective: Focusing on the senses turns the key, opening doors to your imagination. Fine tuning the senses lets you access the passion you have that enables you to clarify your message. Upon completion of this workshop, you will feel empowered and inspired as a writer and a communicator.

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Authors Chat Lounge 3

3PM EST - BEVERLY STOWE MCCLURE

MYTHS ABOUT WRITING FOR CHILDREN

MODERATED BY BARBARA EHRENTREU

So you want to write stories for children and/or teens.

Great. It's easy, of course, since they're ... well ... children.

Before you start, however, join me in looking at five myths

and truths about writing for young readers.

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Authors Chat Lounge 3

7:30PM EST - MARSHALL TURNER

Website Essentials and Internet Marketing for Authors

 MODERATED BY JOYCE A. ANTHONY

Reasons why you must have an internet presence, how the internet works, how to get a website, what are blogs and who should have one, how to promote your website, how to use search engine and what steps to take in internet marketing.

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 Authors Chat Lounge 3

10PM EST - CAROLYN HOWARD-JOHNSON 

The Frugal Editor:

Put Your Best Book Forward

by Writing Zero- Tolerance Queries and Cover Letters. 

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WEDNESDAY - OCTOBER 10, 2007

 Authors Chat Lounge 3

11AM EST - VALERIE CONNELLY 

CALLING ALL AUTHORS: 

The Why, When, and How of Radio Interviews.

Global Talk Radio show host, Valerie Connelly explains:

       Why radio interviews help boost your book's exposure

       When to plan, book and appear on radio interviews

       How to prepare for the interview to get the most

       from your allotted time

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Authors Chat Lounge 3

1PM EST - KARINA L. FABIAN

WORLD BUILDING WORKSHOP

 MODERATED BY KRISTIN JOHNSON

EPPIE-finalist Karina Fabian (www.fabianspace.com)

guides you through creating realistic worlds you'll want to

write about and your readers will want to read more of. 

You'll be given questions to guide you in imagining your

world, suggestions for modeling your world on current or

historical worlds, and exercises to make your worlds seem real. 

Karina has three major universes she's created to play in and has even created a website for her Dragon Eye, PI world. 

(Come visit at http://www.freewebs.com/dragoneyepi.)

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 Authors Chat Lounge 3

6PM EST - ELIZABETH O. DULEMBA

 MODERATED BY JENNIFER PAYTON

“The Nuts & Bolts of Children’s Book Illustration”

Join Elizabeth O. Dulemba as she shares her path to

publication detailing the tricks she used to break into

the children’s book industry.

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 Authors Chat Lounge 3

8pm EST:

Vickie Kennedy-Publisher

http://www.etreasurespublishing.com

 MODERATED BY JENNIFER PAYTON

How to Format Your Manuscript and

How to Write a Proper Query Letter

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THURSDAY - OCTOBER 11,2007

Authors Chat Lounge 3

2PM EST - MARGOT FINKE

HOW TO SELF-EDIT YOUR MG NOVEL

 MODERATED BY KATHY HELMER

tight writing,  powerful verbs, and much more. Margot also offers her ideas on the importance of critique groups for encouragement, feedback, and support.

Bring pencil and paper,  imagination + your love of writing for children.

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Authors Chat Lounge 3

6PM EST - MAGDALENA BALL

MODERATED BY KATIE HINES

From concept to creation -- moving from idea to draft to pitch to publication of the first novel:  a 30 minute journey. 

I'll talk about how I wrote, pitched and sold my first novel under conditions somewhat less than ideal, and will provide all attendees with a .pdf of the first chapter, a full mp3 of me reading the first chapter (suitable for downloading to an ipod or listening to online), and copies of my successful pitch letter). 

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Authors Chat Lounge 3

8PM EST - CAROL J. AMATO

Writing a Teacher’s Guide to Accompany Your Children’s Book

Teacher’s guides help to differentiate your book from the pack and open the doors to school markets—and teacher’s guides aren’t that hard to write! Learn about different formats, how to go beyond the scope of your book, and how to find and comply with state standards. Author Carol J. Amato bring samples, tell you about easy, do-it-yourself technology that will enable you to produce professional-looking, kid-and teacher-friendly guides, explain how to publish them yourself or pitch the idea to your publisher, and provide innovative ideas on how to market them.

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FRIDAY - OCTOBER 12,2007

Authors Chat Lounge 3

6PM EST - HOPE CLARK

The Shy Writer - Self-Promotion That Hurts Less -

The Shy Writer isn't just for the introverted soul.

MODERATED BY JOYCE A. ANTHONY

It also talks about common sense self-promotion. Learn tricks on selling yourself and your work, from the shy writer herself - C. Hope Clark.

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SATURDAY - OCTOBER 13, 2007

 Authors Chat Lounge 3

12PM EST - MARILYN MEREDITH

How to Write A Mystery

MODERATED BY JOYCE A. ANTHONY

Deciding what kind of mystery you want to write.

The elements of a mystery.

Deciding on the characters, place, and plot.

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Authors Chat Lounge 3

9PM EST - JUNE DIEHL -

VIRTUAL TALES

MODERATED BY JENNIFER PAYTON

What an Editor/Publisher Expects from Your Submission

What are the issues that an editor finds in evaluating a sample of a manuscript or a full manuscript? How might an author check to make sure these same issues won’t keep her manuscript from being published? Outside of overall poor writing (including lack of strong verbs, overuse of weak words (such as then, really, only, etc.), awkward or poor phrasing, overuse of adjectives and adverbs, inconsistent verb tenses, typos, poor grammar, and punctuation, etc.), what should you look at before submitting your manuscript? Understand your writing strengths and weaknesses and develop a checklist to increase your changes of getting your manuscript accepted. 

 Explore some of the reasons why manuscripts are rejected with an editor who makes these decisions daily.

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SUNDAY - OCTOBER 14, 2007

Authors Chat Lounge 3

2PM EST (11AM PACIFIC TIME) - JANET WELLINGTON

Pitch Perfect:  Getting to the Heart of your Romance Novel

You might be the most talented writer on the planet, but if you can’t describe your story in an exciting but succinct way, you’re in trouble.

Everyone needs to learn how to pitch.  Okay, maybe everyone

except for those few heavy hitters who have the luxury of only having to share a vague idea about a story with their editors

because their stuff always sells well (we hate them, but let’s move on...).

So, the rest of us need to be able to present our story ideas

within query letters, synopses, and during frightening agent

and editor appointments at writing conferences!

·        Can you use a 3-word phrase to describe

your story?  How about a short sentence?

·        Can you capture the essence

of your tale in 25 words or less?

·        When your listener wants to know more

about your story, do you know what to say

and, more importantly, what not to say?

·        Do you know the biggest benefit of having

an agent or editor appointment at a national

or regional writing conference?

This workshop requires pre-registration in order to receive a short lecture document beforehand, which will provide an overview of how to get at the heart of your romance. If you are struggling with trying to whittle down a story summary designed for a query letter and/or a pitch to an agent or editor, take this workshop!

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